Grant Cuts Seem Less Than Devastating

* In a recent edition, there was an article on cuts made to Simi Valley’s Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for 1996. This program is called an entitlement and in 1995 had a $4.6-billion budget.

This article seemed to be a whining commentary about the budget cuts and then went on to describe some of the proposed projects to be funded this year by the limited budget. Included among the projects is $20,000 for the Simi Valley Historical Society and Museum to build a windmill exhibit.

I wonder as a taxpayer--who only seems to be entitled under our voluntary tax system to pay the taxes for such wonderful projects--what other projects might HUD grants be used for if they were fully funded. I wonder how under the Constitution, the federal government became involved in providing funds for these kind of projects. I also wonder why some of our elected officials continue to be elected when they seem to feel obligated to spend every dime they can get their hands on.

Twenty-thousand dollars equates to two man years of someone’s labor at minimum wage or is almost the median income for a year in California. Aren’t transfer payments wonderful?

WILLIAM R. FENSTERMAKER

Simi Valley